2026 Zichen Xu Yellow Ball

Message from Coach Kim Grant

This Website is customized for you. We will keep track on your progress and your goals. We will share knowledge information and update your status and make sure you can become the best of tennis player of your ability. We will become your partner in improving your tennis. Remember we can only help you as much as you let us and you have to try your best to keep to your assignments and try really hard to follow the coaches advice. Let's do this!

Good Luck and thank you for letting us help you.
Kim Grant Tennis Academy Team

Be The Exception!

Age:
Ball Color:
Date:

Physical Fitness/Growth Spurt Issues

Complex Coordination
Agility and balance
Running, jumping, throwing and catching
Body awareness and control
Footwork & movement
Speed
Quickness
Core & Shoulder stability
Other Complementary Sports
Reaction Response Time
Nutrition/hydration
Testing & tracking

Goals for Player
Short Term Goal
Mid Term Goal
Long Term Goal
Dream

Physical and Fitness

Tactical & Game/Match Play
(On 60' to full size court)
Understanding singles game situations:serve, return, baseline, approaching and at the net
Doubles
Basic ready position
ability to move opponent using width and length of court

Offense and defense in all game situations
High percentage play

Mental & Emotional

Fun and enjoyment of tennis
Quality effort in practice and competition
Solving problems
Decision-making
Fostering independence
Developing goal-setting
Developing self-dicipline
Concentration
Eye Control
Body Control
Developing decision-making
Developing pride in performance

Coaches Corner
Date: Winter 22nd February 2026
Coach: Teodora
Notes: Pola is a good player and he likes to play tennis. He really likes to compete and is a good competitor.
Forehands are solid and he hits with good pace, but we can work on him staying still when hitting and using the upper body rotation more.
Backhands, we need to make sure he keeps both hands on his rackets and going all the way through. He hits well and with enough pace. We can work on being more patient and not looking for winners right away.
He hits well deep volleys, but we can keep improving the short volleys and hit with more angle.
On his serves we need to focus on taking more time and trying to repeat the same motion. He hits nicely on 2 o'clock and has good stance. He reaches up for the ball and snaps with the wrist nicely.
Overall, he has improved a lot and he should keep trying and focusing on the getting better and consistent with his form.

Tournaments /Competion

Jr. Team Tennis
Club Competition
UTR Tournaments
USTA local, Sectional and National Tournaments
Little Mo
Orange Bowl

Upcoming Tournament
Date
Level

Equipment

Racket
(Use 23", 25", 26" & full Size racket, low compression ball graduating to regular ball)

Racket company
Weight
Balance

Strings

Tention
Crosses
Mains
Pre-stretch

Shoes

Practice and Deadlines
example:
Forehand- close the racket face on the backswing
Date-2 weeks

Technical

Basic Stroke patterns in both offense and defense
Quality footwork
Ball control for serve, groudstrokes and volley
Good positioning and recovery on baseline
Sound technique on lob, overhead, etc
Developing use of spin
Preparation for the next shot, especially after the serve
Apporiate footwork patterns
Shot placement to move opponent
Developing sense of shot selection

Areas Of Development

Participation

Can stay focused for 90 min classes
Listens and follows instructions quickly
Comfortable talking to the coach
Behaves safely with equipment and swings racquet only when appropriate
Able to explain the theme of the clinic and the tecnique learned at the end of each class

Scoring and Tennis Etiquette

Understands game, set and tiebreak scoring
Can keep track of the score and call it before points
Serves and returns from proper court positions, adjusts position strategically
Identifies shots hit out
Understands the role of each doubles position

Footwork

Ready position with FH grip and off-hand supporting the throat
Split Step
Floating set step laterally, forward, backwards, or diagonally, set step, swing
Recovers to the middle before the next shot
Uses break step to aid recovery and balance

Approach

Looks for opportunities to move forward into the court
Topspin
Slice
2 step, linear step, right to right and left to left hop
Split step and changes grip for volleys and overheads

Agility, Balance, Coordination

Knows dynamic stretching routine and can properly warm up for match play
Dynamic balance
Complex coordination
Core/shoulder stability
Endurance
Reaction time
Flexibility

Forehand

Semi-western grip
Unit turn with both hands up
Timing loop with proper take back
Consistent contact point
Weight transfer
Developing racquet head speed and spin
Finish shoulder level with closed racquet face
Can perform Helicopter, Airplane, Rocket, and Buggy whip style forehands

Slice

Can switch quickly between continental and semi-western grip
Able to hit with back spin and drop shot opponents
Defends by lifting and spinning balls hit to the corner
Can control height of slices

Lob and Overhead

Understands trajectory and can lift a ball higher over a net player with an open racquet face
Recognizes high incoming shots and, in preparation for overhead, turns, takes racquet to back-scratcher position, and points to ball with off-hand
Swings high to low without losing balance